Nicholson looks to speed through new cyberbullying law

Breaking the law online is no different from breaking the law anywhere else, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Wednesday as his government pushed to fast-track efforts to create an anti-cyberbullying law.

“We absolutely must speak out against the notion that some people have that anything goes on the Internet,” Harper said during question period in the House of Commons.

“Something that is a crime is a crime if it happens on the Internet as well.”

Harper’s comments came a day after he met the parents of Rehtaeh Parsons, the 17-year-old Nova Scotia teenager who took her own life earlier this month.

Her family alleges Parsons was sexually assaulted by four boys in 2011 and that a digital photograph of the incident was shared around her school.

Parsons’ parents want federal laws beefed up so more can be done to combat cybercrime.

Justice Minister Rob Nicholson pushed his provincial and territorial counterparts Wednesday to speed up efforts to create a law that would curb cyberbullying.

Nicholson said he would also speak with his colleagues about a proposed federal victims’ bill of rights.

He said he wants a review of laws to combat online bullying to be completed before summer. The review began last fall.

“I’ll be looking for co-operation from my colleagues,” Nicholson said ahead of a meeting with provincial and territorial ministers.

And while it was unclear when legislation might be introduced, Harper told the Commons his government will give law enforcement the tools need to combat cybercrime.

“One of the difficulties here is that investigative tools for our police officers have not kept pace with the Internet age,” he said.

“That must change.”

The prime minister’s wife, Laureen Harper, also spoke about cyberbullying Wednesday, helping to promote a new website called needhelpnow.ca.

The website tells teens and their parents how to get a photo taken off the Internet.

Parson’s father Glen Canning, and mother Leah Parsons, met the prime minister for about 45 minutes on Tuesday. Canning later said the family felt “helpless” in trying for an entire year to get relief for Rehtaeh from her tormentors.

Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter, who also met Harper, said he and the prime minister agreed that online harassment needs to be treated as a criminal offence.